This invention relates generally to radar systems, and more specifically to a radar system which is capable of synchronization with a digital elevation map (DEM) to accurately determine a location.
The proper navigation of an aircraft in all phases of its flight is based to a large extent upon the ability to determine the terrain and position over which the aircraft is passing. In this regard, instrumentation, such as radar systems, and altimeters in combination with the use of accurate electronic terrain maps, which provide the height of objects on a map, aid in the flight path of the aircraft. Electronic terrain maps are well known and are presently used to assist in the navigation of aircraft.
Pulse radar altimeters demonstrate superior altitude accuracy due to their inherent leading edge return signal tracking capability. The pulse radar altimeter transmits a pulse of radio frequency (RF) energy, and a return echo is received and tracked using a tracking system. The interval of time between signal bursts of a radar system is called the pulse repetition interval (PRI). The frequency of bursts is called the pulse repetition frequency (PRF) and is the reciprocal of PRI.
Radar illuminates a ground patch bounded by the antenna beam 10 from an aircraft 2.
In addition to the complexity, the precision and accuracy of the distance to a particular ground area or object has never been attained using an airborne radar processor.
In one aspect, a method for calculating a center frequency and a bandwidth for a radar doppler filter is provided. The center frequency and bandwidth are calculated to provide radar performance over varying terrain and aircraft altitude, pitch, and roll. The method comprises receiving an antenna mounting angle, a slant range, and velocity vectors in body coordinates, calculating a range swath doppler velocity, and a track and phase swath bandwidth, and calculating a phase swath doppler velocity based at least in part on the range swath doppler velocity and the track and phase swath bandwidth. The method further comprises calculating a range swath center frequency based on the range swath doppler velocity, calculating a phase swath center frequency based on the phase swath doppler velocity, and calculating a level and verify swath bandwidth based upon the track and phase swath bandwidth.
In another aspect, a processor is provided which is configured to receive an antenna mounting angle, a slant range, and velocity vectors in body coordinates, calculate a range swath doppler velocity, and a track and phase swath bandwidth, and calculate a phase swath doppler velocity based at least in part on the range swath doppler velocity and the track and phase swath bandwidth. The processor is further configured to calculate a range swath center frequency based on the range swath doppler velocity, calculate a phase swath center frequency based on the phase swath doppler velocity, and calculate a level and verify swath bandwidth based upon the track and phase swath bandwidth.
In still another aspect, a swath band pass filter is provided. The filter comprises a first order filter and is configured to center on a doppler frequency and operate according to Eo=(A0/B0)×En−(A0/B0)×En×Z−2−(B1/B0)×Eo×Z−1−(B2/B0)×Eo×Z2, where En is an input signal, A0 is 2×Fs×Wb, B0 is (4×Fs2)+(2×Fs×Wb)+(W1×Wu), B1 is (2×W1×Wu)−(8×Fs2), and B2=(4×Fs2)−(2×Fs×Wb)+(W1×Wu), and Wb=2πB, a bandwidth in radians, Wu=2π×(Fc+B/2), an upper 3 db point of said filter in radians, and W1=2π×(Fc−B/2), a lower 3 db point of said filter in radians.
In yet another aspect, a radar signal processing circuit is provided. The circuit comprises a radar gate correlation circuit configured sample radar data at a sampling rate, a correlation bass pass filter configured to filter non-zero gated radar return samples and ignore zero amplitude samples, a mixer configured to down sample an in-phase component and a quadrature component of the filtered signal to a doppler frequency, a band pass filter centered on the doppler frequency, and a processor configured to determine a center frequency for the band pass filter.
a is a diagram illustrating swaths made by a radar.
b is a diagram illustrating a radar transmit pattern.
There is herein described a combination Doppler radar/interferometer to navigate an aircraft 2 with respect to terrain features below aircraft 2. As used herein, aircraft is used to identify all flight platforms which may incorporate a radar system, including, but not limited to, jets, airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles, and guided weapons. The radar also functions with an electronic map, sometimes referred to herein as a digital elevation map (DEM), in determining a position of aircraft 2. In addition to determining an altitude of aircraft 2, an XYZ location of the nearest object to aircraft 2 on the ground, with respect to aircraft 2 in a certain terrain area can be determined. As aircraft 2 is flying over terrain as shown in
In a general altitude range tracking radar, range is measured and indicated by measuring the time for transmitted energy to be reflected from the surface and returned. With reference to
Referring to
In an exemplary illustration, antenna R 42, along with processing systems (described below) will provide a course range search which roughly determines the range to the nearest point 48 in swath 12 (shown in
As illustrated in
It is known that aircraft do not typically fly in alignment with the aircraft body coordinates. Such a flight path is sometimes referred to as a line of flight. Therefore an aircraft which is flying with one or more of a pitch, roll, or yaw, and which has a hard mounted radar system, introduces an error element in a determination of target location, in body coordinates. As such radars typically operate with respect to the line of flight, a coordinate system with respect to the line of flight has been developed and is sometimes referred to as a doppler coordinate system.
Therefore, if aircraft 2 is flying with no pitch, roll, or yaw, the body coordinate system aligns with the doppler coordinate system. For a positive roll, Xm and Xd are still aligned, while Yd rotates below Ym and Zd rotates to the left of Zm. For a positive yaw, Xd rotates to the right of Xm, Yd rotates behind Ym, and Zd and Zm are aligned. For a positive pitch, Xd rotates above Xm, Yd aligns with Ym, and Zd rotates ahead of Zm. The complexity of having multiple of pitch, roll, and yaw, and determining a target position in aircraft body coordinates is apparent.
Data acquisition unit 206 provides a digital signal representative of the signal received at left antenna 202 to a left phase pre-processing unit 224. Similarly, representative signals are received at pre-processing units 226 and 228 from data acquisition units 222 and 212, respectively. Data acquisition units 206, 212, and 222 are configured, in one embodiment, to sample received signals, and thereby reduce the data to a rate which allows a relatively low speed computer to process digitized radar data. In one embodiment, pre-processing units 224, 226, and 228 perform a gate ranging function.
A phase processor 230 receives gated, filtered signals, representative of left, right, and ambiguity signals received at the antennas, and determines a phase relationship between each of the left and ambiguous signal, the right and ambiguous signals, and the right and left signals. The phase relationships between the signals are used, along with slant range, velocity and attitude readings in a phase ambiguity processing unit 232 to determine an interferometric angle to a target. A body coordinate processor 233 utilizes the interferometric angle to determine an XYZ position of, for example, an aircraft employing system 200 with respect to a current aircraft position, sometimes referred to herein as aircraft body coordinates.
A signal from data acquisition unit 222 is also received at an automatic gain control (AGC) unit 234. A signal from AGC unit 234 is passed to pre-processing units 236, 238, and 240. A filtered signal from pre-processing unit 236 is passed to range track processor 242 which provides a slant range signal to phase ambiguity processing unit 232 and altitude information. Pre-processing unit 238 passes a filtered signal to a range verification processor 244. Pre-processing unit 240 passes a filtered signal to a range level processor 246, which also provides a feedback signal to AGC 234.
In alternative embodiments, filter 304 is configured to filter range ambiguity spectrum lines, filter out-of-band interference signals and stretch the input signal, which is a pulse, to a continuous wave (CW) signal. Filter 304, in one embodiment, receives as input an output of gate/correlator 302 (shown in
A sample clock at 100 MHz provides samples at a 10 nsec rate. For example, a 4 μsec pulse repetition interval (PRI) (N=400 clocks per PRI) and two sample gate width, results in two non-zero gated return samples, x(0) and x(1), and 398 zero amplitude samples, x(2)−x(399), into correlation filter 304 during one PRI. In order to provide a filter of reasonable processing size and speed, the zero amplitude samples which do not affect filter output are not processed by filter 304. Therefore, past outputs, for example y(−2), required in the filter feedback configuration, as illustrated by delay elements 316 and 318, at the time of non-zero inputs are not available. These past outputs are calculated based on filter outputs generated during and directly after the previous return (the previous non-zero samples), and filter droop characteristics over a known pulse repetition interval.
In addition, one of the past outputs, y(−1), is not used because it has a feedback multiplier with a value of nearly zero in one embodiment of filter 304, because of the narrow 10 kHz bandwidth.
In one exemplary embodiment, where Fsample=100 MHz, center frequency=25 Hz, and Bandwidth=8 KHz, coefficients are calculated as K1=3979.873661, K3=3977.873661, and K2=0.9994974715. Let P=the number of samples in a PRI. Filter 304 starts calculating at the beginning of a gate width and continues for two counts after the end of the gate width. After the gate width +2 counts the next step is to calculate y(−2) and y(−1) and wait for x(P) data, the beginning of the next gate width, where x(P) is equivalent to x(0). Table 1 illustrates a general procedure for operation of filter 304, for low altitude radar data, track and phase gate of two sample widths, and a PRI of 400 μsec. The calculation for filter output y(0) requires filter output y(−2). The example of Table 2 example illustrates calculation of y(−2) where N=400, if PRI=4 μsec.)
In one embodiment, y(399) becomes y(0) if a range gate is moved in an inbound direction. The resulting P becomes 399. If a range gate is moved in an outbound direction, y(1) becomes y(0), and the resulting P becomes 401. Algorithms shown for a determination of y(4) through y(11) are used to formulate a general algorithm equation.
In addition to an example illustration of calculation of y(−2) with a P of 400 and a gate width of two clock counts, Table 2 also illustrates a general algorithm equation for counts (N) greater than three, (i.e. y(N)=(−K2)M×y(2), for N even and y(N+1)=(−K2)M×y(3), where M=(N(even)/2)−1.
In the embodiment described, for y(0) through y(3), the filter algorithm is calculated because new x(N) and/or y(N) data are available. After the y(3) algorithm calculation, y(398) and y(399) are calculated, and the filter algorithm is configured to wait for x(400) data, where x(400) is equivalent to x(0). If a range 110 tracking algorithm dictates that x(0) be x(399), that is, the range gate causes the PRI to be shortened, then y(397) and y(398) are calculated. If the range tracking algorithm dictates that x(0) be x(401), that is, the range gate causes the PRI to be increased, then x(399) and x(400) are calculated. The signal phase is preserved by using the correct x(O) and y(−2). The PRI is not limited to 4 μsec and can have a wide range of values. The filter algorithm is configured to set the N counter to count to 400 on the next cycle unless the range tracking algorithm requires 399 or 401 counts. In general, a filter configured similarly to filter 304 is capable of removing up to about 95% of the mathematical operations that are required in known filter processing schemes.
Another exemplary embodiment of filter 304, for high altitude operation, incorporates a Barker code. Table 3 illustrates an exemplary embodiment, with a chip width equal to four, a PRI of 4 μsec, and P=400. In the exemplary embodiment, a 13 bit Barker code is used, and inputs x(0) and x(1) are data, x(2) and x(3) are filled with zeros, x(4) and x(5) are data, x(6) and x(7) are filled with zeros, and the pattern continues until N is equal to 51. Generally, the algorithm for N greater than 51 is given as y(N)=(−K2)M×y(50), for N even, and y(N+1)=(−K2)M×y(51), where M=(N(even)−50)12)−1.
In particular embodiments, a frequency of data received at mixer 306 is 25 MHz, and is referred to as an IF (intermediate frequency) signal. Mixer 306 in one embodiment, is configured to convert the 25 MHz IF signal to baseband (or Doppler) frequencies, and further configured to reject negative Doppler frequencies. In specific embodiments, mixers 322 and 332 are configured with PRIs which allow decimation of the signal from correlation bandpass filter 304 to a 25 kHz sample rate. Specifically, in the embodiment shown, the allowed PRIs include 200, 400, 500, 800, and 1000.
For purposes of description, a current input to low pass filter 324 is given as x1(O). A current output of the low pass filter 324 is then given as y1(0)=(1/K1)[x1(0)+x1(−1)]−[K2×y1(−1)], where x1(−1) and y1(−1) are respectively the previous input and output of the low pass filter 324. A current input to low pass filter 334 is given as x0(0). A current output of the low pass filter 334 is then given as y0(0)=(1/K1)[x0(0)+x0(−1)]−[K2×y0(−1)], where x0(−1) and y0(−1) are respectively the previous input and output of the low pass filter 334. K1 is 1+(1/tan(πfo/Fs2), and K2 is 1−(1/tan(πfo/Fs2), where fo is bandwidth and Fs2 is a sampling frequency of low pass filters 324 and 334. In one embodiment, the sampling frequency of low pass filters 324 and 334 is the received signal frequency, Fs1, of 100 MHz divided by the pulse repetition interval.
The signals output from low pass filters 324 and 334 are further down sampled at decimators 326 and 336. In one embodiment, decimators 326 and 336 are configured to sample at a frequency which is the pulse repetition interval multiplied by a sampling frequency, Fs3, of all pass filters 328 and 338, divided by the received signal frequency, or (PRI×Fs3)/Fs1.
In one specific embodiment, the above equation is applicable for all of filter elements 352, 354, 356, 358, 362, 364, 366, and 368 (shown in FIG. 9). The following are the coefficients for each filter element, the elements 352, 354, 356, 358, 362, 364, 366, and 368 being represented by a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h respectively, and BBfreq is the base band sampling frequency, and T is 1/BBfreq. In one embodiment, floating point precision is used.
Element a
A filtered output signal, Eo, is determined according to Eo=(A0/B0)×En−(A0/B0)×En×Z−2−(B1/B0)×Eo×Z−1−(B2/B0)×Eo×Z−2. Referring specifically to filter 308, the input signal, En 422 is received and multiplied by a coefficient 424, with a value of A0/B0, and then applied to a summing element 426. The output of summing element 426 is filter output 428. Input 422 is also delayed two counts by a two sample delay element 430 whose output is multiplied by coefficient 432, with a value of −A0/B0, and then applied to summing element 432.
Output 428 is multiplied by a sample delay element 434, whose output is multiplied by a coefficient 436, with a value of −B1/B0, and then applied to summing element 432. Output 428 is also multiplied by a two sample delay element 438, whose output is multiplied by a coefficient 444, with a value of −B2/B0, and then applied to summing element 432. Coefficients for filter 308 are determined according to Wb=2πB, which is bandwidth in radians, Wu=2π×(Fc+B/2), which is an upper 3 db point of filter 308 in radians, and W1=2π×(Fc−B/2), which is a lower 3 db point of filter 308 in radians. The coefficient A0 is 2×Fs×Wb, B0 is (4×Fs2)+(2×Fs×Wb)+(W1×Wu), B1 is (2×W1×Wu)−(8×Fs2), and B2=(4×Fs2)−(2×Fs×Wb)+(W1×Wu).
Referring specifically to processor 309, an antenna mounting angle and velocity vectors in body coordinates are input to determine a doppler velocity, Vr 460, at a range swath center frequency according to Vr=Vv×Cos(90−r−a)=Vv×Sin(a+r), where Vv=(Vx2+Vz2)0.5, where Vx=velocity component on body x axis and Vz=velocity component on body z axis, a=ATan(Vz/Vx), and r is the antenna mounting angle. A range swath center frequency, Fr 462 is determined according to Fr=2×Vr/L, where L is a wavelength, and in one specific embodiment, is 0.2291 feet. A velocity component on body y axis, Vy, is not used to center swath in antenna beam as the component has a value of zero since the antenna is fixed to a y axis of the body.
Processor 309 is also configured to determine a phase swath doppler velocity, Vp 464, which is delayed behind the range swath by a time equal to the range processing delay. Vp is calculated as Vp=Vv×Cos(90−(r−p)−a)=Vv×Sin(a+r−p), where Vv=(Vx2+Vz2)0.5, where Vx=velocity component on body x axis and Vz=velocity component on body z axis, a=ATan(Vz/Vx), r is the antenna mounting angle, and p=(T×Vx/H)×(180/π) in degrees, where T=1/πB and is a delay through range swath filter, T×Vx is vehicle movement on body X axis, B is the swath bandwidth, and H is altitude in feet. Phase swath center frequency 466 is calculated according to Fp=2×Vp/L, where L is a wavelength, and in one specific embodiment, is 0.2291 feet.
Processor 309 is configured to determine a track and phase swath bandwidth, B 468 according to B=Vx/(0.6(H)0.5) in hertz, where H is altitude in feet. A level and verify swath bandwidth 470 is calculated as a ratio of level and verify bandwidths to track and phase bandwidths, K, multiplied by track and phase swath bandwidth 468.
Together, filters 308 and processor 309 automatically configure the radar doppler filter center frequency and bandwidth to achieve better radar performance over varying terrain and varying aircraft altitude, roll, and pitch than known systems. The determined center frequency operates to maintain the radar swath at an approximate center of the antenna beam. The calculated bandwidth is a bandwidth that controls the track swath width on the ground, and is calculated such that the filter time constant is equal to the time it takes the vehicle to move a corresponding swath width distance. The bandwidth corresponds to a time over the target and provides information as to how long a second swath lags a first swath. Phase channel swaths are set behind in position to account for a processing time of range processor 242 (shown in FIG. 7). The calculations of center frequency and bandwidth provide a mechanism for keeping a swath slightly in front of the aircraft such that a positive doppler shift is realized.
In the embodiment shown, phase detector 510 is configured to receive ambiguous channel return data as input, with left channel return data as a reference, and further configured to determine and output a phase difference between the left and ambiguous channels. Phase detector 512 is configured to receive right channel return data as input, with ambiguous channel return data as a reference, and further configured to determine and output a phase difference between the ambiguous and right channels. Phase detector 514 is configured to receive right channel return data as input, with left channel return data as a reference, and further configured to determine and output a phase difference between the left and right channels.
In mathematical form, Y output 542 is calculated as Y=(AP1.1×AP2.2)−(AP1.2×AP2.1), X output 546 is calculated as X=(AP1.1×AP2.1)+(AP1.2×AP2.2), and the phase difference is ATAN(Y/X).
In one embodiment, in-phase filters 520 and 524 and quadrature filters 522 and 526 include the four cascaded second order infinite impulse response (IIR) filters as described in FIG. 10. Further, in the embodiment, filters 520 and 524 are configured to include in-phase filter elements 352, 354, 356, and 358, (shown in
Once phase differences between the right, left, and ambiguous channels has been determined, as described above, the phase differences are used, in one embodiment, to determine and interferometric angle to the target.
Phase ambiguity processing unit 232 includes a phase bias adjust unit 570 which provides a phase shift value which compensates for phase shifts which occur in the routing of the radar signals, from receipt at an antenna and through cabling and processing areas within aircraft 2. It is accepted that most phase shifting of signals occurs due to cabling for the routing of signals. Phase bias adjust 570 compensates for the ambiguous channel with respect to the left radar channel. Phase bias adjust 572 compensates for the right channel with respect to the ambiguous radar channel. Phase bias adjust 574 compensates for the right channel with respect to the left radar channel.
The compensated phase difference signals are received at a phase ambiguity resolver 576. In one embodiment, phase ambiguity resolver 576 is implemented using software, and determines a physical (interferometric) angle to a target which originally reflected the radar signals received. Phase ambiguity resolution is further described below. After resolution of phase ambiguous signals, the physical angle signal is filtered utilizing a low-pass filter 578, and an angular position of the target with respect to aircraft body coordinates (X,Y,Z) is determined from the physical angle to the target using body coordinates processor 233 (further described below). The determined position, in one embodiment, is 90 degrees minus a half angle of a cone whose axis is a Y-axis of the body of aircraft 2. The target is on the cone surface, therefore providing the subtraction from 90 degrees above described.
Table 4 is a phase ambiguity resolution matrix which is utilized, in one embodiment, to determine a physical angle to a target based upon electrical phase differences. A calculated electrical angle phase difference, θ, is equivalent to [(360×S)/λ]×sin(φ) or K×sin(φ), where φ is the physical angle of the target in aircraft coordinates, S is a separation between the two antenna elements in feet, and λ is a wavelength of the radar signal in feet. In one particular embodiment, separation between the left antenna and the ambiguous antenna is 0.2917 feet (3.5 inches), separation between the ambiguous antenna and the right antenna is 0.7083 feet (8.5 inches), and the separation between the left antenna and the right antenna is 1 foot (12 inches). In the embodiment, the wavelength of the radar is 0.2291 feet. Therefore, in the embodiment, and referring to Table 4, K1 is (360×0.2917)/0.2291, or about 458.4, K2 is (360×0.7083)/0.2291, or about 1113.25, and K2 is (360×1)/0.2291, or about 1571.64. Physical angles are then determined according to φ=sin−1(θ/K).
As antenna separation, radar wavelength, and aircraft position may all affect a timing of radar signals received at the various antennas, phase differences, which are determined as described above, will change at varying rates. In the embodiment illustrated in Table 4, physical angles are calculated for multiple electrical phase differences, and the true physical angle is a solution which provides approximately the same physical angle calculation, in each of the three rows (within a couple of degrees). Using the first antenna pairing (left and ambiguous), and based on antenna separation, three possible physical angles are determined from the electrical phase difference received from phase detector 510. As the second antenna pairing (ambiguous and right) are further apart, five possible physical angles are determined. The last antenna pairing (left and right) are the furthest apart, therefore seven possible physical angles are determined. As described above, one of the physical angles from each group of physical angle calculations, will be roughly equivalent, thereby providing an unambiguous physical angle solution. In such a system it is important to note that separation in antenna pairing cannot be a multiple of radar wavelength.
An example calculation is used to further illustrate. Inputs to doppler circle equation processor 620 include a range to target of 2000 feet, a velocity of 800 feet/second, a wavelength of 0.229 feet, and a doppler swath filter center frequency of 1213 Hertz. The angle with respect to the aircraft line of flight, β, is determined as b=cos−l((1213×0.229)/(2×800))=80 degrees. The doppler circle radius, Rd, is 2000×sin(80)=1969 feet, and distance of the doppler circle, Xd, is 2000×cos(80) 347 feet.
Again referring to
Again referring to
In one embodiment, transforming begins by a determination of a velocity vector in body coordinates, from navigation data, N, (in pitch, roll, and yaw) according to
where the transpose matrix is given by
Velocity unit vectors (direction cosines) are given in body coordinates as ax=Vx/(Vx2+Vy2+Vz2)1/2, ay=Vy/(Vx2+Vy2+Vz2)1/2, and az=Vz/(Vx2+Vy2+Vz2)1/2.
Intersection processor 626 is configured to determine body coordinates which are calculated as X1=D×ax, Y1=D×ay, Z1=D×az, where the velocity vector D, is given as R×cos(β), and β=cos−1(Fc×L/2×V). B is the doppler cone angle, Fc is the swath filter center frequency, R is the range to the target, V is (Vx2+Vy2+Vz2)1/2, and L is the wavelength of the radar.
A position of the target in body coordinates is also calculated by intersection processor 626 as y=R×sin(A), where A=measured phase angle in body coordinates. The coordinate z is calculated as z=(−b±(b2−4ac)1/2)/(2×a), where a=1+(Z1/K1)2, b=(−4Z1×KT/(2X1)2), and c=(KT/2X1)2−KA. KA is calculated as (R×cos(A))2, KB is calculated as (R×sin(B))2, KY=(y−Y1)2, and KT is calculated as KT=KA+KY−KB+X12+Z12. The coordinate x is calculated according to x=(KA−z2)1/2.
While determining a position of a radar target with respect to, for example, an aircraft body, as described in detail above is necessary, it is also necessary in certain application to determine a range to a target. As is well known, in high altitude radar operations, it is possible that multiple radar transmit pulses will be transmitted before a return pulse is received. This is sometimes referred to as the ambiguous radar range problem.
In one embodiment, correlation is accomplished by implementation of a encoded radar scheme, and by looking for deviations in the return pulses from a reference, or starting altitude.
Verification processor 244 is configured to receive as inputs, a detected radar return, which has been gated and demodulated. Verification processor 244 also receives as input a present internal range to the target, and a command from the radar search logic to be in either of a search mode or an acquisition mode. Verification processor 244 is configured with a variable mainlobe threshold factor (described below) and a verification dwell time, which is the time processor 244 is allocated to determine if an amplitude of a return signal exceeds the threshold factor. A verify status output is set true of the amplitude of the radar return exceeds the threshold value, thereby signifying that the transmit radar pulses and return radar pulses are correlated. If not correlated, the verify status output is false, and processor 244 provides a corrected range position to range processor 242 (shown in FIG. 7).
If the threshold factor is not exceeded, the original acquisition is an acquisition on the main lobe of the return, and the transmit and return codes are aligned, and the internal range as determined by processor 244 is correct, resulting in a verification status being set 684 to verify.
If the threshold factor is exceeded, then the transmit and return codes have become aligned. If the internal range has been moved 686 more than two range gates, the process illustrated by flowchart 670 begins anew. If there is a less than two range gate movement 686, the search logic of the radar is set 688 to not verify, and is moved by the value of the counter, in order to align the transmit and receive barker codes. The process illustrated by flowchart 670 again begins. The continuous processing of encoded radar transmit and return signals by processor, provides a favorable solution to the known radar range ambiguity problem by constantly stepping through the codes to ensure receipt of an unambiguous radar range return.
In one embodiment, the above described verification processing for radar range ambiguity is applied continuously during flight, not just during initial acquisition. In utilization of such a system, the verification processing is applied in order to resolve range ambiguity during acquisition, but the processing is continuously applied after acquisition, throughout the flight. The continuous processing is done in order to ensure that if the transmit and received pulses become misaligned (loose correlation) the misalignment will both detected and corrected. Loss of correlation could occur due to, for example, a range discontinuity due to severe aircraft rolls or a sudden change in terrain (i.e. flying over a cliff).
The verification processing is further illustrated through an example. In one embodiment, a phase code is used to resolve radar range ambiguities and particularly a 13 bit phase code provides 20×log(13) or 22 dB of rejection to range sidelobes. However, if verification processor 244 should, for some reason, line itself on an ambiguous side lobe, even if the mainlobe is for example 22 dB higher in amplitude, verification processor 244 will stay aligned with the sidelobe as long as there is a greater than 22 dB sensitivity margin. As stated above, one such example is flying over a sharp and deep cliff where a maximum radar track rate is less than a rate at which the range changes over the cliff. However, in practice, and assuming an ambiguous range sidelobe is lined up, a transition to a decreased sensitivity margin will normally result in a less than sufficient margin to track the ambiguous range side lobe. Examples include flying over poor reflectivity ground or encountering a severe aircraft roll. The result is verification processor 244 realigning into a proper and unambiguous line up onto the main lobe. Thus an ambiguous radar range does, after some time, normally correct itself. However, and especially with auto pilot systems, severe and dangerous aircraft altitude corrections will result during the time of this very undesirable ambiguous range condition.
The method illustrated in flowchart 670 resolves the above illustrated situation by continuously searching for the main lobe, while tracking what is believed to be the correct position, or lobe. If during the ambiguity processing, or verification background search, it is determined that an ambiguous range is being tracked, an immediate correction is made to get the radar onto the correct range (i.e. the main lobe). To detect if the radar is on an ambiguous range track, the 20LogN equation is utilized to continuously determine differences between the main lobe, and undesired side lobes.
The above described methods and systems describe a digital signal processing solution to known radar target position and range ambiguity problems. Use of digital signal processing techniques therefore enables a radar system to perform faster and more accurate airborne processing than known radar ambiguity solutions. While the invention has been described in terms of various specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/144,745, filed May 13, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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3737900 | Vehrs, Jr. | Jun 1973 | A |
5499030 | Wicks et al. | Mar 1996 | A |
6025800 | Hager | Feb 2000 | A |
6362776 | Hager et al. | Mar 2002 | B1 |
6407697 | Hager et al. | Jun 2002 | B1 |
6674397 | Hager et al. | Jan 2004 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 10144745 | May 2002 | US |
Child | 10657971 | US |